


Would You Believe Me (if i said i didn't need you)

by akire_yta



Category: Bandom, Disney RPF, Skippy - Fandom
Genre: M/M, tower and hive au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-24
Updated: 2013-11-24
Packaged: 2018-01-02 13:16:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akire_yta/pseuds/akire_yta
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Marengo Tower was the Tower for wayward Talents, those who had been sent to the edge of the galaxy to rot.  It was a punishment duty, though of course no-one ever called it that.  So how on Earth or off it did they get assigned a Prime?  And a member of the legendary Jonas family at that?  What could he have done to merit Marengo? (An extension/AU of the Tower & Hive series of books by Anne McCaffery.)<br/></p>
            </blockquote>





	Would You Believe Me (if i said i didn't need you)

**Author's Note:**

> I have British spelling, so expect words to retain their original “u’s” :) Background on the books can be found at wikipedia, starting here, but hopefully this stands alone even if you haven’t read the books. Just know that some people have psionic abilities, ranked in power from T1/Prime (most powerful) to T12, the T’s work for an organization called FT&T, and humans now live on a dozen star systems and are reaching out even further, despite the presence of an alien species known as the Hive, whose metals make those with T-abilities get a bit cranky. Beta-read by [](http://allyndra.livejournal.com/profile)[**allyndra**](http://allyndra.livejournal.com/) and [](http://xsnarkasaurus.livejournal.com/profile)[**xsnarkasaurus**](http://xsnarkasaurus.livejournal.com/) , all remaining mistakes are my own. Title from The Academy Is...’Skeptics and True Believers.’ Written for [](http://sodamnskippy.livejournal.com/profile)[**sodamnskippy**](http://sodamnskippy.livejournal.com/) [bingo](http://verbosemofo.livejournal.com/21902.html) and I do declare that’s another line. Here, have some cookies:  
> 

Mike walked slowly out of the tiny cubby that served as their makeshift Tower here at the ends of civilization. He looked at their expectant faces. “We're getting a Prime,” he announced. There was a ragged, exhausted cheer. He held up his hand. “It's a Jonas,” he added flatly. The cheers died away. Mike didn't need to be telepathic, their reactions were written on their faces. In large print.

As usual, it was William who rallied first. “Now now, this may just be a signal of our esteem after all our work in pushing all that lovely ore back to the Alliance.”

Butcher snorted. “No, this is Earth Prime's way of keeping an eye on us.” He glanced around the room. “I told you porting Asher out of her quarters and into Command was a bad idea.”

William waved him off. “How were we to know she slept in the nude? I thought they beat that kind of behaviour out of you in boot camp.”

Sisky made a face. “Whatever the reason, sending a Jonas out here? Not good.”

William was obviously trying to make the best of it. “Who knows, maybe he's just as much a reprobate as us, and they needed to sweep him under the rug for a few years.”

Mike scowled at him. “Bill, if you get Marengo Tower, it's because they want you to rot. Can you see a Jonas doing anything that would earn a slap on the wrist, let alone exile here?”

William wore his determined good mood like a suit of armour. “Stranger things have happened. Besides, I was wrongly accused, and I cannot imagine you being guilty of anything with that adorable baby face, Carden.” William made a move to pinch Mike's cheeks and Mike gave him a telekinetic shove, hard enough to send him stumbling backwards into Chislett.

“Shut up and help me move the crap out of the spare room,” he grumbled, heading for the door.

* * *

They were just hauling the last of the junk that had accumulated in the sixth room that ringed the little common and formed the entirety of the shielded quarters in Marengo station when Mike felt the overwhelming sense of _greybrownyellow_ presence that was Earth Prime. _“Marengo Tower, please hold tone and stand by for human port.”_

Mike nodded meaningfully to Butcher. His eyes widened, but he held up two fingers. “Standing by, cradle two is cleared,” he said out loud for everyone's benefit. “Do you need me to ...”

 _“Just hold the tone, Marengo,”_ the voice in his head said snippily. Mike rolled his eyes but dutifully held tone. He felt the meld of minds reach out across light years of empty space and the sudden sense of mass coalescing in the cradle on the cargo bay floor. _“Don't break this one, or you'll have Jersey Tower breaking you,”_ the voice added with a distinct tone of malicious glee before the connection was severed.

Mike swallowed. “Come on, guys,” he said nervously. “Our new Prime has arrived.”

“That was fast,” Sisky said in a whisper as they tumbled down the short, grimy passage and into the elevator that linked them to the cargo area.

Chislett shrugged. “Ore's money, and money's what they're here for,” he replied philosophically. “I heard the miners talking about a big new seam, and the shipyards are churning out those real big fuckers now.” He shrugged again as the doors ground open with a painful shriek of metal on metal. “They're probably figuring a Prime could move a lot more ore than five lower T's combined.”

No-one argued with him as they strode out onto the cargo deck and over to the area of the bay separated by the bright yellow lines on the floor that warned of human transportation. Butcher was just releasing the bubble's hatch as they arrived.

 _“Fuck, they've sent us a fucking **child** ,”_ William shot to him on the tightest line as the pod's occupant half-tumbled out onto the deck.

Mike had to agree with him. The kid was all dark curls and big eyes and a silly grin as he took in the stained, dark, smelly hole that was the cargo bay of Marengo. “Hi,” he said, waving. “I'm Kevin Jonas!” He blinked, his eyes unfocusing slightly as his smiled dimmed, and Mike caught the faintest sense of another presence. Whoever they were, and whatever they had 'pathed into the kid's head had him standing up straight, his face losing that sweet smile as he forced his features into something closer to the neutral blankness Mike was familiar with from Primes. “Uh, Prime Jonas, that is,” he stuttered out, clearing his throat nervously. He held his hand out, side on, scrupulously adhering to Talent etiquette.

Mike went with his instincts and took the opportunity for full contact, rather than just a passing gesture. Kevin was _warmgreengreyblack_ and soft as velvet. Kevin's eyes had widened, but as the moment of contact passed, he had relaxed back into a small little smile. “Mike Carden,” Mike said belatedly. “I'm one of the T-2s, along with William Beckett,” he said, stepping back to let Bill come forward. “And you've met Butcher, he's T-4 and our cargo chief,” he added with a nod. “And these two here are Adam Siska who's our expeditor, and Michael Guy Chislett, who runs the generators.”

“Call me Sisky, and we're both sixes,” Sisky said with an easy little shrug as he came forward to greet Jonas.

Kevin looked a little overwhelmed at the ring of people surrounding him. “Right, got it, I think.”

“You better,” Mike said, trying for gruff. “Because in two hours the first load of the third shift is gonna need to be ported, Prime.” He scooped up one of Kevin's two carisaks and headed for the doors before Kevin could reply.

* * *

Kevin staggered into Marengo Tower like he'd been shoved. The way William sauntered in after him, smiling benignly, confirmed the suspicion. “Is this it?” Kevin blurted, looking around at the gunmetal grey walls, the threadbare couches.

Mike smirked at him. “Home sweet home. You can take that couch,” he said, jerking his thumb at the third one in the row. A fistful of stuffing was poking out a seam near the end. “Might want to port up your pillow though.”

Kevin made a face, but silently walked over and settled himself with only one or two stifled noises of pain as the springs stabbed him in the back. To his credit however, he didn't whine. “What first?” he asked instead.

Mike had to admit grudging respect as Kevin caught and tossed payload after payload. Mike had worked with Primes before – they all had, at their various Tower rotations during their training – and he had braced himself for the dominance of a Prime in merge. But Kevin instead seemed to gather them up like skeins of thread, weaving them together rather than just bunching them up and squeezing their talent out of them through sheer force of will.

The headache Mike was expecting didn't materialize as the last cargo pod of the morning vanished off the deck. Mike blinked as he slipped out of the merge, glancing over just as Kevin arched his back against the worn couch and stretched. His shirt rode up, exposing a tiny sliver of tanned belly. Mike blinked and forced himself to look away, turning just in time to catch William smirking at him and mentally flipped him off on a tight line. William just smirked even more. “Lunch?” he calmly asked out loud.

* * *

William waited until Sisky and Chislett had whisked Kevin away for a post-lunch tour of the limited facilities Marengo had to offer before cornering Mike. “So,” he purred, lounging against the back of his couch as Mike studiously ran through the afternoon's flimsy list and tried to ignore him. “What do you make of our newest little addition?”

Mike shrugged, eyes firmly on the flimsies. There weren’t any more reds today, at least. Just lots and lots of dull supplies. The new part for the digger was finally arriving, though. That was mass. He shuffled the stack again. “Kid's got some power, and he knows how to handle a merge. I've dealt with worse.”

William leaned over and expertly tugged the flimsies out of Mike's hand. “A lot worse,” he agreed. “Perhaps it's to our benefit, a young untried Prime. He hasn't learned any bad habits yet.”

Mike had to laugh. “If you're thinking about expanding his education, Bill, forget it. I'd bet a week's pay that Earth Prime is keeping a close watch on this one.”

William made a vague noise of agreement. “But I am still wondering why we merited a Prime, and such a talented one, in the first place. You must admit, from his touch, he's good enough for a planetside Tower. Maybe even a post in Blundell Cube itself?”

Mike made an abortive attempt at the flimsies. “Maybe he wanted to get out of the Core for a while?”

William effortlessly held Mike at arm's length. “Then why not join a cruise? Far more prestigious than slumming it with a bunch of miners and our wholesome selves. No, something is up.” Mike distracted William with a pinch and telekinetically pulled the flimsies out of William's hand. William let them go with a flourish. “I will solve this mystery, young Master Carden.”

“Mystery?” They both turned to watch as Kevin nervously stepped over the threshold.

William beamed at him. “Yes, the mystery of what that meat was at lunch today. Marengo Station, where mystery meals are really strange.”

Mike shook his head and turned away. _”You're bullshitting a Prime, Bilvy,”_ he reminded William on a very tight line.

William just smiled beatifically. _Boy is far too well-mannered to pry.”_ “Okay, Carden,” he said aloud as he swung his legs onto his couch, his feet dangling over the end. “What are we pulling in today?”

They saved the big pulls for last. By mid-afternoon, Mike felt like Kevin had been merging with them for months, not hours, and through the merge he could feel the echo of the others' approval.

Mike waved the last flimsy in the air. “Okay, let's get that digger part. Couple of tons, all the way from Earth.” Through the link he heard half a dozen mental groans. He ignored them easily. “Everyone ready?” He gathered up Sisky and Chis first, then Butcher. William slotted himself effortlessly in behind them as Mike handed the merge over to Kevin.

Kevin reached out towards the Blundell Cube. Mike saw William's darting expression out of the corner of his eye; there was a nervousness in Kevin's mind that had not been there before.

Mike caught the vaguest echo of their conversation, tainted by the _greybrownyellow_ that marked Earth's Prime. Before Mike could make out the meaning, there was the sense of mass being flung at them, hard. Mike winced, heard William grunt, as they caught the part and deposited it safely onto the cargo deck.

One by one the others dropped out of the merge. Mike lingered a moment longer, eyes widening at the echos of _unimpressedscoldingstern_ that reverberated out from the distant Prime. Mike pulled back quickly, feeling strangely embarrassed for having overheard even that much. As he sat up, he glanced over towards the third couch. Kevin looked away quickly, but Mike could see the way Kevin's cheeks had warmed. Mike tried to offer a smile, but Kevin kept his eyes firmly averted.

“I'm just going to, umm ...” Kevin made a complex gesture and vanished into his quarters.

William watched him go, turning to stare at Mike as the door hissed shut. “What was **that** all about?”

* * *

Mike flicked the short straw into the trash as he walked over to Kevin's door and rapped lightly on the frame. Not waiting for a response, he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Kevin hadn't unpacked yet, but the bunk was made up. Kevin was lying on his back, hands under his head. He barely moved as Mike came in, merely raising an eyebrow as Mike swung around the desk chair and sat down, arms folded over the the top of the back rest. “Please, come in, make yourself at home,” Kevin said sarcastically.

Mike grinned wolfishly. “Don't mind if I do.” He studied Kevin for a long moment. “Also, that's the most Prime-like you've been all day.”

Kevin's brow wrinkled. “Huh?”

Mike waved his hand. “Sarcastic and imperious. That's more like the Primes I've met.”

“You make it sound like you've met a few,” Kevin said softly, almost cautiously.

Mike shrugged, making a face. “I kinda bounced from Tower to Tower for a while there.” His eyes narrowed. “Wait, shouldn't they have given you, like, a file on me or something?”

Kevin burst out laughing. “I came from Jersey Tower, not the CIA,” he shot back, grinning. It changed his whole face. Like he was catching the thought, Kevin sobered and looked away. “They did give me the basic stats for the Tower as I was getting into the pod, but I haven't had a chance to look at them.” He fidgeted, picking at his nails for a moment. “And it seems kind of silly now, given you're all right outside that door.”

Mike studied the kid for a second. “You know, we had a bet going on whether or not you were a spy from Blundell Cube, sent to bring us into line.” He couldn't help by smile as Kevin spluttered in surprise.

“What was your money on,” Kevin asked, sitting up and swinging his legs over the edge of his bunk.

“Spy,” Mike admitted with an easy shrug. “But I guess I've lost my cash, right?”

Kevin looked at him. “Why do you say that? I could be a spy!”

Mike laughed at the defensive tone. “If you're a spy, you're a spy that's pissed off Earth Prime.”

Kevin's face fell. “You heard that?” he asked in a tiny voice.

Mike shook his head. “I caught the tone as I was leaving the merge, but not the content.” He leaned down to catch Kevin's eye, and smiled again more reassuringly. “Sorry, but there's really no such thing as secrets when everyone’s a mindreader, is there?”

Kevin's mouth twisted into a wry, embarrassed little grin. “Fun with telepathy,” he said so drolly that Mike burst out laughing.

“Exactly. So, listen. Read the dossiers, or better yet, share them with us so we can all mock the inaccuracies. And then, if you want to tell us why you're in exile, you can. Or if you don't, well, we can respect that too.” Mike pushed himself up off the chair. “Your choice. But in the meantime, dinner. Chislett's on dinner duty tonight, so it'll mean it's actually something vaguely appetizing.” He held out his hand. “Come on.”

Kevin looked at Mike's hand so long, Mike almost reeled it back in – Primes were so cautious about contact, lest they pick up some stray thought. But at the last second, Kevin took Mike's hand in a firm grasp and let himself be hauled up. “Let me just grab those files,” he said, heading over to the desk.

“Ooh,” Mike said with a saucy grin. “Dinner _and_ a show.”

Kevin glanced slyly over his shoulder. “Yeah, so you better be buying.”

Mike was still laughing as they walked into the common room.

Sisky lifted his head like a meerkat. “Oh, did someone come up with a new joke? Share the funny!”

In response, Kevin tossed the files down on the table. The slim pile spilled, revealing the 'confidential' markers splashed across each, above their names and below the FT&T logo.

Butcher reached over and tugged his out of the stack. “Should you be showing us these?”

“Probably not,” Kevin said with well-feigned lightness. “But I figure you could tell me more about yourselves than any file, and we're probably going to be working together for quite some time, so I figure let's start out as we hope to continue.”

William had caught it too, Mike could tell just by a glance. “This is to be long-term? Do you have some gossip we do not, young Prime Jonas?”

Kevin shrugged, turning away to fiddle with the tricky nozzle on the water dispenser. Sisky opened his mouth, and Mike could tell from William's expression that Bill had silenced him with a thought. They really had been working together too long. “Um, possibly,” Kevin said at last.

Mike could have kissed Chissy when he stumbled out of the alcove and hollered “DINNER, YOU FUCKERS, COME AND GET IT!” at the top of his lungs.

* * *

By the time plates had been all but licked clean, Kevin was laughing and grinning again, and Mike had to remind himself that this was their new Prime – technically, Kevin was now his boss. So he scowled when William held out his hand and the files materialized as he ported them over from where they had been left. “Shall we see what these have to say?” William asked with a saucy waggle of his eyebrows.

Mike sat back, stretching until his joints clicked. “We know what they say. I'm uncooperative, you're a diva, the Butcher is sarcastic, Sisky is uncontrollable and Chizzy's Australian.

Chiz nudged Kevin with his elbow. “True, that,” he said in a overbroad drawl.

William was pouting, the files drooping in his grasp. “You're no fun,” he whined..

Mike stood up. “I'm also exhausted.” He didn’t even have to push, the words alone were enough to have Sisky yawning so widely his jaw cracked. Mike left them at the table, dumping his plates in the washer on his way out. The last thing he saw was William idly thumbing through the pages of their files, and Kevin watching him like a hawk even as Chiz showed him where to put his things.

* * *

Mike stumbled into the Tower the next morning still rubbing sleep from his eyes to find Kevin already on his couch, his eyes closed, his lips moving slightly as he conversed in his head. Mike maintained his shields tightly as he moved as quietly as he could, but he only made it two steps before Kevin's eyes cracked open. “Load dockets,” he mouthed, barely waiting for Kevin's distracted nod before he grabbed the pile of flimsies waiting in the printout basket and beat a hasty retreat.

William was lounging as nonchalantly as a man could in an empty corridor. “He was up early,” William said without waiting. “Real early, even for Earth.”

Mike shrugged as he brushed past him. “What time is it at Jersey?”

William made a face as he mentally calculated the time difference. “Half past a monkey's ass – four thirty am-ish.”

Mike riffled through the overnight flimsies to buy himself some time. Who was Kevin talking to? Suddenly their 'spy' hypothesis didn't seem so far-fetched.

Except ... they both looked up as Kevin stumbled out the door to the Tower and froze. Kevin didn't look like a spy. Sure as hell didn't act like one. But maybe that's how good spies operated. But no-one could be that good an actor around telepaths. But Kevin was a Prime, and a powerful one....

Mike was getting a headache with all the buts and double-think, and gave up. “Morning, Prime,” he said instead.

Kevin winced at the title. “Morning, uh, Mike.” He tugged nervously at a curl. “And please, call me Kevin.”

William slung an arm around Kevin's shoulders, careful to keep a layer of fabric between them. “Yes, Michael, call him Kevin. Except when company's coming.”

Bill meant it as a joke, Mike was sure, but for a split second a look of real terror crossed Kevin's eyes. Then it was gone, and Kevin was laughing. “Best manners for company, of course.” His eyes flicked side to side and again, if Mike hadn't been watching for it he'd have missed it. “Do you get many visitors out here?”

William laughed as he straightened up. “Why do you think we were so overjoyed to see you. It wasn't just for your big, strong, handsome talent. You were the first new face we'd seen in months.”

For a fraction of a second, Kevin's relief overwhelmed his shields. Mike blinked and Kevin looked away, once again locked up tight.

“Breakfast!” Sisky yelled down the corridor, and Kevin almost ran away from Mike.

He caught William staring at him. “Curiouser and curiouser,” William said archly before sauntering off.

* * *

Kevin fit like he was the final part of their jigsaw, slotting in to a hole Mike hadn't even been aware of. The lifts got faster and smoother, the ports longer and easier. And if Kevin seemed a little on edge talking to Blundell or, on the rare occasions they had to port there, to Jersey Tower, no-one called Kevin on it.

No-one could be happy stuck a million light years from home in a tin can floating above a dead world, but Mike thought they might get something that could pass in a low light. It was enough anyway.

* * *

Mike tossed once more and gave up in a huff. The thin blankets were twisted around his ankles and every position he tried felt like hell on his shoulders. He sat up and scrubbed his hands over his face, hearing the rasp of his stubble under his palms.

It was too fucking early for it to be this late in the evening.

Rolling out of his bunk, he stumbled into the common and hit the dispenser until it spat out half a glass of water. He eyed the hard-backed chairs pushed in around the table. “Fuck that,” he muttered, turning and sloping silently on bare feet up the corridor to the Tower. The couches there were old, but after all this time they had moulded around Mike's body like a second skin.

At first the mental sound of conversation barely registered, a faint whisper against the constant background noise that was Marengo Tower. By the time Mike realized what he was listening to, he was outside the door.

“... we miss you, Kevin. Can't you just lie, say you've changed?”

“To Earth Prime,” Kevin shot back. Mike could almost taste the velvety _warmgreengreyblack_ that was Kevin's mental signature. “Anyway, that would just land me back where I started, with mom and dad trying to set me up with every Talented girl in a five-system radius and not understanding why I just want to be friends.”

“Kevin,” the distant voice whined, and on the line Mike could feel a distant _warmorangebrowncream_ , as velvety as Kevin's. A brother, maybe? “Is that so bad?”

Kevin's tone took on layers of fondness but also exasperation. Threaded through it all was a deep sense of exhaustion. “I'm gay, Joe,” he ‘pathed flatly. “I like boys. I always have. You know this. It’s not going to suddenly go away.”

The other voice – Joe – adopted a sneaky edge. “You like _a_ boy,” he corrected. “But it sounds to me like he sees you as just another Prime.”

The exhaustion became almost tangible, a heavy, suffocating weight. “Leave it, Joe.”

Joe must have felt it too. He subsided, his mental tone drawing back. “Okay. It's almost dawn here, I should go. Miss you, love you.”

“Love you, too,” Kevin shot back after the withdrawing presence.

Mike knew he should sneak away before Kevin sensed him. But he hesitated a moment too long. _“Mike?”_ Kevin's voice asked inside his head.

Taking a deep breath, Mike manned up and opened the door to the Tower. Kevin watched him warily as Mike carefully sat down on the edge of his couch. “Hey, sorry, I didn't think anyone would be up here this early.”

Kevin had locked down everything, was totally unreadable. “You heard that?”

Mike winced, caught out. “I came in on the end,” he admitted. “Sorry, I honestly didn't mean to pry.”

Kevin took a deep breath. “So you know I'm ...” he left the ending hanging. Mike looked at him in confusion. “Gay,” Kevin half-whispered, physically shrinking back a little.

Mike didn't try to shield his confusion. “And?”

Kevin was stunned. “That doesn't bother you?”

Unbidden, Mike's memories flashed back to when he was younger, training at Blundell Cube and teaming up with William and Tom and the others to sneak out and go downtown to hook up with whoever looked best. He felt the tendril of Kevin's curiousity and offered those memories up in his public mind.

Across the room, Kevin gasped. “And no-one cared?” He shook his head and looked away as he answered his own question. “Of course they didn’t, you're not a Prime.”

Mike was still too sleep-stupid and annoyed by the pain in his shoulders to follow along. “What does that have to do with it?”

In response, Kevin mentally unrolled his family tree and sent the image into Mike's mind. For a long second, he didn't get it. “Wait,” he said, stomach roiling at the thought. “This is about _breeding_?”

Kevin shrugged. “Talent has a strong genetic component. My dad's a prime, as was his dad, and all his brothers.” He looked like he wanted to spit or swear. “And if I were a good son I'd marry the highest talented girl who'd have me and produce another massive brood of Talented children.”

Mike knew it was none of his business, but like an aching tooth he couldn't help but poke at it a little more. “Are the two mutually exclusive,” he asked carefully. For a second, before Kevin got his shields under control, Mike felt the full fury of Kevin's impotent rage at the thought. He actually rocked back in his seat. “Shit, sorry, I didn't mean ...” he babbled.

Kevin turned away for a second. “Sorry,” he muttered back. He looked up cautiously through his hair. “I couldn't ... it would be a lie for me, and a waste for her, whoever the poor girl ended up being, having a husband who could maybe love her but never be in love with her. It's just wrong, and I couldn't do it, so ...” he held out his hands. “Here I am, until I learn to see sense.”

And all the pieces suddenly fell into place.

“So you are an exile too, huh?” Mike said with a little grin.

Kevin’s answering smile was wobbly but warm. “Outcast fellow traveller,” he confirmed with a nod. “Definitely not a spy.”

Mike beamed Kevin the mental picture of a massive crowd chanting ‘One Of Us,’ and was rewarded with a bark of surprised laughter. He closed his eyes, stifling a groan as he laid back slowly, his aching shoulders protesting the movement. But even the familiar recline offered no relief; he’d swear he could feel every lump and bump of the frame under the thin, worn padding. He shifted, trying to get comfortable. That was probably why he didn’t hear Kevin move until he was standing right over Mike.

“Are you okay?” Kevin asked softly.

Mike winced, trying to suppress his startled reflex, but he could tell by Kevin’s tiny blush that he wasn’t entirely successful. “Yeah, just a bit tight. It happens.”

Kevin’s mouth twisted into a thin line. “Yeah, especially when you’re hauling real mass light years for ages without a Prime. And doing it from couches that were reupholstered sometime last century.”

Mike let the ‘without a Prime’ remark slide without comment. It was his experience that Primes tended to forget that a lesser ability didn’t automatically equal little ability. “Redecorating the place already?” he teased instead, rolling his shoulders into the thin fabric of the couch. “Planning on staying a while, Jonas?”

Mike realized too late he’d hit a nerve. “Probably.” Kevin managed a weak, sardonic smile. “The phrase ‘come to my senses or rot, whichever comes first’ was uttered, after all.”

Mike didn’t even try to shield the burst of indignation he felt, and was rewarded with another little blush. “You might have better luck than us in getting new couches invoiced,” was all he said, though.

“I’ll try,” Kevin shrugged. “Hey, us outcasts need to stick together, right?” He looked around, deliberately not meeting Mike’s eyes. “Here, I’ll get out of here so you can catch a few hours sleep.” This time the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Need my second sharp and ready to catch and toss, after all.”

He slipped out on silent feet, dimming the lights after him, and Mike couldn’t help but feel, somehow, that he had missed something.

* * *

Mike didn’t get much sleep, and the shipping flimsies blurred as he tried to concentrate enough to get through the day. The last thing they needed was for Mike to slam a carrying pod into the walls of the Marengo dock or something.

He blinked as the flimsies were tugged gently but deftly from his fingers. “I’ve got these,” William whispered rather than ‘pathed. Mike’s aching head was grateful. “Butcher’s broken out the real coffee for you, go.” He flapped the flimsies at Mike in a shooing gesture. “Rest your pretty little head a while.”

It was a measure of how crappy Mike was feeling that he couldn’t even summon the energy to snark back.

Butcher was part-ninja, Mike had already decided long ago, so it wasn’t too surprising that he could gently put down a steaming mug of black coffee without so much as a sound. Mike vaguely considered porting it directly to his mouth, but instead settled on hunching over it, inhaling the sweet, bitter fragrance and taking the occasional sip when he figured out how to move aching muscles in the correct order.

He had the briefest impression of _warmgreengreyblack_ just before Kevin dropped into the chair opposite. He studied Mike and made a face. “You look terrible,” he said quietly.

Even so, Mike winced. “So I look better than I feel, huh?”

Kevin’s mouth twisted up. “Why are you even up?” he asked bluntly.

Mike hunched even lower over his coffee. “Digger refurb,” he said simply. “More big lifts. You need me.”

Kevin clucked his tongue. “You try lifting like this, and I think your brain might literally fall out your ears.” Mike started to laugh then stopped with a wince as the movement jarred his aching skull. Kevin took a deep breath. “I’m not a healer,” he said apologetically. “But I know the basics. Maybe I could ...?”

Mike shrugged. “Go ahead,” he grumbled. “At this rate, my brain falling out my ears would be an improvement.”

The chair squeaked painfully across the decking as Kevin pushed back from the table and came around to stand behind Mike. He closed his eyes as he heard Kevin take another deep breath. There was the gentle, beautiful pressure of fingers in his scalp, and then the bizarre feeling like someone was pouring warm molasses over his skull.

He woke up slowly, head resting on a folded up blanket that didn’t smell familiar. Mike straightened up carefully, but apart from a lingering stiffness in his neck, the pain was gone. He looked around blearily, getting his bearings. He was still at the table in the common room. His cup was clean and back in its spot on the rack, and there was the blanket, but apart from that there was no indication as to how much time had passed.

He stood up carefully, wary of any sudden attack of pain as he lifted his arms and stretched until his shoulders popped. After coaxing a glass of water out of the spigot, he walked back up towards the Tower.

Kevin raised his hand in greeting even with his eyes closed. “Got it, Butcher,” he said out loud. “Great, thanks.” He opened his eyes slowly. “Welcome back to the land of the living.”

Mike stalked over to his couch. “You should have woken me,” he said grumpily.

Kevin turned away to look at the flimsies clipped on the stand by his couch. William just laughed from where he was reclined on his own couch. “You needed your beauty rest, Michael,” he teased gently. “Besides, we’ve just been tossing around little shit. Kevin’s really been doing the work, I’m just coming along for the ride.”

Mike glanced back over at Kevin; he was still looking resolutely at the same flimsy, but his cheeks were stained pink. Mike sighed and laid back. “Where are we up to?”

“Few more basic supply drops,” Kevin said, sounding grateful for the change in topic. “Easy stuff, I’ve got them. But I’ll need you all for the parts lift. We also need to toss something big out to one of the Fleet ships.”

Mike settled himself as Kevin effortlessly caught the last few supply pods. He shifted, pointing his toes as he stretched while they waited for Butcher and Sisky and Chiz to clear the deck for the last, big, lifts.

“Ready?” Kevin asked.

Mike nodded, leaning back and closing his eyes to avoid Kevin’s concerned expression. “Let’s go.”

It was the smoothest merge yet; Mike barely felt the shift as he handed over the skein of Talent to Kevin to pull the heavy digger part all the way from the Martian foundries.

“And once more,” Kevin said both out loud and in Mike’s head, the words echoing as he reached them across the darkness of the universe one last time. The part was smaller than the digger parts, but it had mass. Kevin pulled it to them first, dropping it on a cradle.

Mike heard the others breathe out heavily, felt the sweat on his own brow. “God, what did they make that out of, uranium?”

He felt Kevin’s little snicker in his head. “Ready, last push.”

The part disappeared off the cradle as they reached out as one to the _Athena_. The ship Prime met them halfway. “Marengo,” came the usual haughty greeting.

“Nice to see you too, Sel,” Kevin said dryly in their heads.

The entire tone of the _Athena_ merge changed, thawing like the spring. “Kevin?” The weight was plucked from their merge with a deftness they had never felt from the distant ship before. Mike bit his lip and pulled back the skeins of the rest of their merge, leaving Kevin alone to talk to the _Athena_ Prime in private.

Kevin’s eyes opened as Mike swung his legs over the side of his couch. “Thanks,” he said, sounding a little hoarse. “Good work, everyone, that’s it for today.”

“Thank god for that,” William declared as he stood up. “I’m starving.” He glanced quickly at Mike, nodding once as he all but skipped out of the Tower, leaving Mike and Kevin alone.

There was a long pause.

“I used to sometimes do summers at Selena’s parents’ Tower,” Kevin offered suddenly.

Mike held up his hand. “Say no more, I know there’s the whole everyone-knows-everyone at Prime level thing,” he said. “But from now on, you’re dealing with her. She hates our guts.”

Kevin fixed Mike with a very _old_ look.

Mike shrugged. “Okay, maybe we filled her bunk with jello that time when the _Athena_ came through here on its way out-system, but seriously.”

He could tell Kevin was struggling not to laugh. “Bygones?” he offered.

“Exactly!” He sucked in a little gasp through his teeth as his aching muscles reminded him of how tight they were.

Kevin’s smile folded into a pensive little frown. “I am totally telling Blundell Cube we need new couches, this is ridiculous,” he said firmly as he swung his feet over and came to stand by Mike’s couch. “No, sit,” he added, putting his hand on Mike’s shoulder as Mike went to get up.

Mike froze, then groaned as Kevin’s fingers started digging into the tense muscle. “The net I did before will only hold so long,” Kevin said calmly as his fingers unerringly found the knots and dug into them. “We need to address the cause.”

Mike was too busy trying not to moan happily to reply. Kevin’s hands were strong as they worked up the muscles to the nubs of Mike’s spine. He rolled forward under Kevin’s touch, letting him work his magic up to the base of his skull. The pressure softened, becoming almost gentle, and Mike let himself be tugged back to rest against Kevin’s belly as Kevin’s fingers began stroking and carding through his hair before finally dropping back to his shoulders and stilling. “Better?”

“Dude,” Mike breathed. “That was damn near better than sex.” Kevin froze, but Mike just tilted his head back to look up at him. “Where did you learn to do that?”

Kevin shrugged and looked away. “Just picked it up, I guess.”

Mike caught Kevin’s wrist as he went to pull away. “Want me to return the favour?” he asked. He knew how tight and edgy he felt after hauling mass, and Kevin had been doing a lot of it solo today.

Kevin hesitated, and Mike gave his wrist another gentle tug. Kevin let the momentum take him, and fell forward on Mike’s couch. “Jeez, it’s like rock,” he muttered, shifting and turning his face to one side.

Mike carefully put his hands on Kevin’s shoulder blades, pausing briefly to give Kevin warning before he pressed down. “Yeah, and you can talk,” Mike told him as he pushed against the tension lying just under the skin. Kevin’s shoulders were rigid with stress, and Mike found himself resting with one knee on the edge of his couch, bringing his whole weight to bear down as he massaged and pummelled the tension away.

Kevin huffed a little under the press, but otherwise was silent, eyes closed as Mike worked his way down Kevin’s spine, taking his time until finally, finally the tension started to release.

Kevin sighed again as Mike started just running long smooth strokes, strangely unwilling to finish the favour. It had been a long time, too long, since he’d had this kind of contact with someone else.

He felt in his mind the way Kevin was slowly dragging himself back together, and reluctantly withdrew, giving him the space to settle himself. Mike crossed the tiny Tower in two steps and gathered up the transit flimsies, shuffling them by colour for filing as, behind him, he heard his couch squeak as Kevin sat up. “Thanks,” a voice said softly behind him.

“Any time,” Mike replied, not looking up. He closed his eyes as he heard the door hiss and felt Kevin’s presence retreat. He stayed there, staring at cards without reading a word, until Chizzy came to fetch him for dinner.

* * *

The headache didn’t return, but Mike’s sleep patterns were shot. He’d always found it hard to keep a rhythm when it was always dark outside.

He half-turned as William wandered in, notebook in hand, pajama pants slung low around his hips. He nodded a greeting, loathe to break the fragile silence with words.

William disappeared into the kitchen area for a moment then returned with two mugs; the scented steam betraying that William had dipped into his not-so-secret stash of herbal teas. Mike wasn’t a fan, but it was nice to breath in something that didn’t carry the distant taint of engine grease and over-recycled air.

 _“So,_ ” William ‘pathed tightly. “ _Not a spy?_ ”

Mike shook his head briefly side to side. He closed his eyes and concentrated, letting his memory of their conversation unroll for William to examine.

 _“Oh, I see,_ ” William purred in his head when he was done. He sipped his tea pensively for a moment.

Mike tasted the tea, made a face, and went back to merely smelling it. “ _They’re trying to break him, seriously. His own family._ ” He scowled at the straw-coloured liquid in his cup, completely missing the look William gave him. “ _No wonder it seems like every second Tower in the upper quadrant has a Jonas, if that’s the way they see the world._ ” He slowly became aware of William’s little shit-eating grin. “What?” he asked out loud.

“Oh, nothing, nothing,” William murmured back. He smiled again as Mike glared at him. “You just seem a little protective of the child.”

“He’s not a child,” Mike spat back before he could think. William just raised one eyebrow, and Mike made a face. “Well, he’s not,” he muttered grumpily, scowling as William merely smiled secretively into his tea. “What?”

William glanced over his shoulder, towards the ring of sleeping quarters. “You do seem rather ...” he caught Mike’s stare and paused. “Fond,” he concluded at last. “Of him.” William sighed and put down his mug as Mike stared blankly at him. “Mike,” he said, not unkindly. “I say this as a friend who knows the inside of your fool skull as well as any living person.” He reached over and laid a hand on Mike’s arm, his familiar soothing _coolbluegreywhite_ reinforcing his words. “You like the kid.”

Mike blinked. “Yeah,” he said slowly. “He’s a good fit, and not your usual bastard Prime ...”

“No,” William said firmly, a little grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “You _like_ the kid.”

Mike froze. “No ... I, uh, I mean ...”

William actually laughed a little. “Relax, I don’t think he’s caught it, if that’s what you’re worried about. I wasn’t even sure until just now, and unlike our adorable little Prime, I am not too polite to pry.”

“I don’t ...” Mike was still spluttering. He stopped, thought a moment, then slumped down in his chair. “Fuck, I do, don’t I?” he admitted to himself.

William stood and patted him on the head. “Aren’t you glad I don’t charge by the hour? I’m going to try to get some sleep, I suggest you do the same.” He laid his hand back on Mike’s shoulder for a moment, “ _You two would look adorable together,_ ” he ‘pathed, leaping out of the range of Mike’s casual swipe. “Night.”

It was only once the door had hissed shut that Mike realized William had left him to do the dishes. He went through the motions on automatic, mind whirling, unsure what to do next.

* * *

Next morning followed the same pattern as every other morning since Kevin had arrived, but this time there was an undeniable air of tension in the Tower. William’s eyes darted between the other two couches as Mike resolutely kept his attention on the shipping flimsies and Kevin stared at the ceiling as he mentally choreographed the movements both down on the deck and across the dark to the other Towers they were porting to and from today.

It was a light morning for once: small parts, one live transport pod in and out as a drill crew went on furlough and their replacements arrived. No-one objected when Kevin stretched and declared Marengo Tower closed half an hour early today.

Mike made excuses about the paperwork, and couldn’t have missed William’s look of disappointment if he’d tried. “See you at lunch,” was all Kevin said though, pushing past William to disappear back into his bunk.

William paused in the door. “Still freaking out?” he asked sympathetically.

“I’m not freaking out,” Mike gritted back, not looking up.

He felt William’s thread of amusement. “Even if I wasn’t a telepath I’d know you were lying, Carden.” Whatever else he was going to say was cut off by the sudden blaring of a loud, insistent siren, its wail echoing off the metal walls.

Mike was off his couch in a flash, hand slapping down the cancel button even as he opened a link to the operations centre. “What’s happening?” he barked.

Asher’s face appeared on the little viewscreen strung above the console. “Collapse in the main seam,” she snapped, eyes darting everywhere as she took in the information from her bank of monitors in the mining command centre.

William was already on his couch, his rarely used monitor creating a sickly green glow over his face. “Got the maps,” he snapped. “Asher, where’s triage set up?”

Kevin appeared in the door, shirt untucked and feet bare. “What’s ...?”

Mike snapped his fingers and pointed at Kevin’s couch even as he threw himself onto his own. “Mine accident, come on.” He didn’t wait for Kevin to respond, just leaned back and found Butcher, Sisky and Chiz, just down the corridor, already waiting for him. _“Ready to lower the shielding?”_

He heard William sigh. “I fucking hate sting-pzzt,” he muttered just as the shields went down. Almost instantly, Mike could taste metal on his tongue, and in his head was the high-pitched buzzing sound, like a detuned receiver just on the edge of hearing.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kevin bodily flinch, and cursed. “Shit, sorry, should have warned you.”

Kevin sighed but settled back down. “Is that ...?”

“Yup,” William said tightly. “Marengo was a Hiver world, so it’s covered in their shit. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt you, it’ll just make you really pissed off.” He huffed, the couch squeaking as he tried to get comfortable. “Okay, got the triage coordinates.”

The comm link buzzed again, and Asher’s voice echoed around the Tower. “The rescue teams are at the site, uplinking video of the slide now.”

Pictures helped; it made it easier to figure out what to grab as they reached towards the tiny speck of human activity through the static buzz that was generated by the alien buildings that still dotted this desolate place. They hoisted out tools and miners, and cube after cube of mud, clearing a path for the rescue teams that followed along, shoring up the mine.

It was evening, their time, before all the missing crew had been located. There had been three corpses buried in the mud, crushed by falling rocks, or suffocated after their suits were breached. ‘Porting the dead had a mental pressure all its own, and Mike was grateful that there weren’t more casualties. He thumbed open the comm link. “How we doing, Asher?”

She was tired, her eyes dark in her pale face, her hair pulled back in a messy twist, but she was nodding. “That’s everyone, ground crews confirm your head count.” She sighed, leaning heavily on an unseen console. “Thank you for your assistance, Marengo Tower,” she said formally but with feeling. “We’ve got it from here.”

Mike nodded and cut the link. “Shields,” he yelled down the corridor, too tired to ‘path. A few long seconds later, the sting-pzzt cut out, leaving a disgusting taste behind in its wake.

“And hallelujah,” William muttered as he half-rolled off his couch. “If anyone needs me, I’ll be brushing my teeth for the next hour or so.” As he stumbled out of the Tower, Sisky, Chiz and Butcher could be heard talking loudly in the common area. Then the door hissed shut, leaving Kevin and Mike alone.

Kevin was fidgeting, and Mike was tired enough to just sit and wait for Kevin to get his thoughts in order. “Thanks,” Kevin finally stuttered out. “For ... you know, knowing what to do, and stuff ...”

Mike snorted softly to himself. “We probably should have done a drill the day after you arrived, but ...” He waved his hand dismissively.

Kevin was sitting up, one leg curled loosely under him, the other hanging over the side of the couch. “This was probably in that information packet I didn’t read,” he admitted ruefully.

Mike sat up at that. He’d kind of just assumed that Kevin had given in and read the files. “So, how’d you like the sting-pzzt?” was all he said.

Kevin groaned so loudly that Mike had to laugh. “I always thought it was a stupid name, but it does kind of describe it well, doesn’t it?” Kevin griped, but he was smiling now. He rubbed the back of his head. “Kind of echoes, too.”

Mike bit his lip. “Leaving yourself open for the cheap shot there, Jonas,” Mike teased. It was easier to just joke like this, locked up safe once again in their little Tower, than to think of what was happening on the planet below.

Maybe his shields weren’t up as tightly as he thought, or maybe Kevin saw something in his face. Either way, Kevin had stopped smiling. “Does ... does that kind of thing happen often?” he asked softly.

Mike leaned forward a little, walking his hands out along the couch to stretch his back as he thought. “Not very. That’s only the second time since I’ve been here.” He sat back up and shrugged. “But mining is dangerous. Technically, it’s not in the FT&T contract between the mining company and Blundell Cube that we _have_ to help, but ...”

Kevin scowled. “Screw that,” he spat with unexpected venom, hugging himself tightly. “People _died_ today.”

Mike stood. “Try not to think about it.” He held up his hands to ward off Kevin’s disbelieving, pained expression. “I know, it sounds callous. But we did everything we could today. Mining is dangerous, and yes, people die. We’ve ported back more than a few caskets in our time. But we did what we could,” he repeated. He dropped a hand towards Kevin, who didn’t hesitate to take it. As Mike helped him stand, he felt the _warmgreengreyblack_ stronger than ever before, the velvet touch of the edge of Kevin’s shields soft and fuzzy with exhaustion. “Come on, let’s find something to eat before it hits and we end up napping on the floor.”

If Kevin squeezed his hand tightly for a brief second before letting go, there was no-one else to see.

* * *

Mike woke suddenly, blinking into the near absolute darkness of his room. Something had woken him, and it took a few seconds to wake up enough to realize what, or rather who, it was.

Mike rolled onto his side, propping himself up as he sent a tendril of thought out to find a now-familiar warm dark touch. “ _Kevin?”_

“ _Sorry,_ ” Kevin ‘pathed back. “ _I didn’t mean to ... I was just seeing if anyone else ..._ ”

Mike sat up and scrubbed his hands through his hair. “ _Can’t sleep?_ ” he thought, wincing as the cool air hit his bare skin. “ _Come on in,_ ” he added as Kevin’s mental presence stayed hovering just on the other side of the doorway.

The door hissed open, the shaft of light falling across Mike’s legs as Kevin’s shadow appeared in silhouette. “I’m really sorry I woke you,” Kevin whispered.

Mike beckoned him in with a gesture. “Relax, it’s fine, I think I was half way to awake anyhow.”

Even in the half light, Mike could see from Kevin’s expression that his white lie hadn’t flown. But even so, Kevin came further into the room, looking around.

“Here,” Mike said, patting the edge of the bed. “Sorry, we don’t exactly get many guests.” Kevin raised an eyebrow, and Mike grinned as he mentally rewound the sentence. “Of any type,” he amended.

Kevin perched gingerly on the edge of the bunk, hands folded in his lap. He took a deep breath, but stalled before words came out.

“Tough day, huh,” Mike offered sympathetically as the silence stretched out uncomfortably.

Kevin swallowed, hard. “That last miner, the one in the side tunnel?” Kevin took another deep breath.

“Hey,” Mike said gently, instinctively reaching out but freezing just before he made contact. Kevin’s shields were fragile and fraying; contact might not be appropriate right now. “You did your best.”

“That’s just it,” Kevin exploded. “He died just as I touched his mind. Just as I got there. If there wasn’t that noise ... if I’d been a little faster ...”

Mike gave up on appropriate and grabbed Kevin’s arm. “Hey,” he said sharply. “Firstly, you got there as fast as you could. I was there, I know, we couldn’t have cleared that tunnel any faster. Secondly,” he added, squeezing Kevin’s arm for emphasis. “Why didn’t you say anything?” He swallowed -- he’d never been in a dying mind before, but had heard stories in his training that had made him wish he never would be.

Kevin shrugged listlessly, but didn’t try to pull away. “I just ... there was a lot of work still to do, and ... I’m a Prime, I’ve had training, it’s just ...”

Mike gave Kevin a tug, backing it up with a little telekinetic shove in the right direction. Kevin flailed in surprise, making a soft noise as he impacted with Mike’s chest. “And nothing,” Mike growled right in his ear. “That shit can fuck you up. You’re not unbreakable, Prime.”

The words triggered a memory, and this close, Mike felt Kevin’s curiousity and the snaking tendril of thought he sent out, faster than Mike could shield against this time. Kevin sighed and tried to pull away. “Blundell Cube warned you about breaking me, huh?”

Mike tightened his grip. “Screw Blundell,” he muttered. “We’re all we’ve got out here, Kevin. You think we’d sit by if you were hurting?”

Kevin shrugged, stiff under Mike’s touch. “I’m not ...”

“If you say you’re not part of this, then you haven’t been paying attention,” Mike told him firmly, trying to catch his eye. “One of us, remember?”

Kevin seemed unconvinced, locked in a tight downwards spiral that Mike had already ridden once before. “It wasn’t that bad, really, I shouldn’t have ...”

Mike yanked him down before Kevin could stand, and this time he wrapped one arm around Kevin’s shoulder. “If you’re hurting, it’s bad,” he said gently. “Let me help, please.”

Kevin was locked down tight in every sense. “Why do you even care?” he asked at last. He shook his head as Mike went to answer. “And don’t try that ‘we’re in this together, it’s a kind of family’ stuff? Families don’t work like that, I know, and you’ve known me less than a month, but you’ve known William how many years?” He shook his head. “I heard you both, that first day. Fucking child,” he spat, the words foreign on his tongue. “Yeah, that’s about right.”

Mike cursed the universe. “You overheard that?” he demanded in open challenge. “How about this?” He dropped his shields and showed Kevin that night talking to William and drinking his stupid herbal teas, that dizzying moment of realization.

For a long moment all was silent but for the distant hum of the air processors. Then Kevin uttered a shaky laugh and relaxed a fraction, leaning slightly into Mike. “Seriously?”

He shrugged. “Yeah,” he said lamely. “I mean, you’re right, we’ve barely known each other a few weeks, but,” he licked his lips. “I’d like to have the chance to know you for years.”

Kevin finally looked up, eyes dark in the low lights. “You know once my lovely family figure it out, they’ll devise a new punishment duty just to put us on it,” he pointed out, but he was smiling.

Mike smirked. “I notice that’s not a ‘hell no, you crappy T2.’”

Kevin burst out laughing, biting on his fist to try and muffle the sound, and Mike counted that as another minor victory. “No,” Kevin said, settling down again. “That’s not a no. I ... I admit, I kind of thought you knew, were just being kind.”

Mike frowned. “Knew what?”

“When you overheard me talking to Joe,” Kevin pressed. “Heard me say I was gay.” Mike was still drawing a blank. “And Joe was teasing me for having a crush ... oh,” Kevin said, eyes wide. “Maybe that was earlier in the conversation.”

But Mike had enough to go on, now. “You had a crush on me?” he said, trying not to laugh.

“Have,” Kevin corrected shyly. He smirked. “Go on, laugh, you’re going to break something keeping it in,” he added. “But can you blame me? My first proper Tower assignment, coming straight out of a screaming match with my parents, and there you were ...” He was laughing, too, as he shared with Mike his own mental picture of Mike, standing on the deck, unseen winds tousling his hair.

Mike burst out laughing, burying his face into Kevin’s shoulder. As he finally settled, he felt William’s tendril of curiousity, and batted it deftly away. _”Not now, William,_ ” he ‘pathed tightly. He felt William’s mental two-thumbs up before he retreated.

Kevin sighed and leaned further into Mike. “Bill?”

“Yeah,” Mike admitted, mumbling the words against the side of Kevin’s throat.

Kevin sighed again, sounding tired once more. “Can we have this if we have to work together?”

“Yes,” Mike shot back, almost cutting off the end of the question. “Hell, yes,” he added. He took a chance and leaned forward to press his nose into the waves of hair brushed back behind Kevin’s ear and was rewarded with a low, happy noise. “Please?”

Kevin let go of the last of the tension he was holding. “It won’t be easy, with me,” he said softly. “I have a ton of baggage, disapproving parents, and brothers who mean well but meddle.”

Mike wrapped his arms, using a tiny touch of telekinesis to shift them both until they were lying more comfortably on the bed. “And I have issues with authority, a possessive streak a mile wide, and four best friends who will no doubt tease us for all eternity. I can deal with yours if you can take mine.”

Kevin twisted up until his lips were inches from Mike’s. “Deal,” he whispered and sealed it with a kiss.

* * *

When Bill came by the next morning to rouse Mike for Tower duty, he found Mike and Kevin sound asleep, wrapped around each other, holding on even in their sleep.

Bill closed the door carefully and went to collect his winnings from the pot and to see if he could convince Chizzy the generators needed to mysteriously break down so they could take the day off.

~fin~


End file.
